A User-Centred Framework for Bridging the Generational Social Media Divide

Social media has become ingrained in our daily lives, revolutionising how people
communicate and share information. These platforms such as Facebook, Instagram,
TikTok, and X, enable users to create content, share content, interact and engage with
one another. However, most of the existing social media platforms focuses on catering
to specific generations, rather than all generations. There exist a significant generational
divide in social media usage that creates some disconnect. User-Centred Design (UCD)
can be used to bridge this gap by focusing on designing platforms that cater to the
specific needs of diverse user groups, ensuring engagement for all generations. This
study aims to develop a user-centred framework that bridges the generational social
media divide, especially among generation X and generation Z cohorts. By performing
an extensive literature review and using snowball sampling, surveys and thematic
analysis, data was collected to understand the social media habits and challenges of both
generations. Forty-three people responded to the survey. The result of the survey shows
that thirty-six of the respondents prefer platforms with simple interface and easy
usability; and forty-one of the total respondents have WhatsApp as one of the most used
platform. Data transparency, content personalisation, support, and educational features
are major elements preferred by both generations. This led to the development of the
CONNECT framework, emphasising on customisable experiences, open
communications, networking, nurturing community, educational resources, content
curation, and trust and security. This framework has the potential to guide the
development of social media platforms that connects different generations.